Google Instant promises faster searches, smarter predictions and instant results. But, what does this mean to your business and your search strategy? Find out with the presentation prepared by HubSpot's Kipp Bodnar and WebMarketing123's Director of Search Marketing, Travis Low.

1. Google Instant: How SEO is Affected
Presenters:
Travis Low Kipp Bodnar
Director, Search Marketing Manager, Inbound Marketing
WebMarketing123 HubSpot
@TravisLowSEO @Kbodnar32

2. Topics Covered
1) SEO Overview
2) Google Instant – What Has Changed
3) Implications Moving Forward
4) Key Takeaways

3. Where Searchers Click
Source: “iProspect Blended Search Results Study” by JupiterResearch, 2008

4. SEO Fundamentals: The 6 Pillars
Keywords
Site Content Content
Silos
Meta Content Inbound Links
URL’s

5. Topics Covered
1) SEO Overview
2) Google Instant – What Has Changed
3) Implications Moving Forward
4) Key Takeaways

7. Searchers Don’t
Need “Enter”

9. Instant Did Not Include
Algorithm Changes

10. “Google is now taking a much
more active role in leading
searchers to not just the answer,
but also the question itself.”
– Search Engine Watch,
http://searchenginewatch.com/3641319

11. What is still going to change?
User Behavior
• Query construction patterns
• Click patterns
• Page-scanning behavior

12. Mobile Later This Year

13. Topics Covered
1) SEO Overview
2) Google Instant – What Has Changed
3) Implications Moving Forward
4) Key Takeaways

14. Long-Tail Vs. Short-Tail

15. Short-Tail/Headmatch
“First to show up as predicted query”
“First page rankings even more important
now”

16. Long-Tail
“Won’t be first results people see”
“Searchers will better understand how to
modify queries and can easily get more
specific with long-tail phrases and auto-
complete suggestions”

17. Short-Tail vs. Long-Tail Keywords
# of Traffic-Driving Keywords
612,358 617,296 9/8 - 9/14 (Week
Keywords Keywords After Google
49.80% 50.20% Instant)
9/1 - 9/7 (Week
Before Google
Instant)

18. SEO/Organic Search Implications
• No change to organic ranking algorithm
• More important to rank above the fold for more general terms
• Optimize for broader, more general headmatch terms
• Focus on Title/Meta Description
• Grab searchers’ attention and increase click-through rate
• Google’s auto-complete suggestions will get even more search
volume

19. PPC/Paid Search Implications
Impressions defined in 3 ways:
1. User begins a search query and clicks anywhere
on page
2. User chooses a particular query by clicking
search button, hitting enter, or selecting an auto-
complete suggestion
3. User stops typing and results are displayed for
minimum of 3 seconds

20. PPC/Paid Search Implications
Increase in Impressions means…
• Potential decrease in click-through rate
(but not necessarily clicks)
• Quality of clicks will increase as users
learn to search using terms that best
connect them with the answers that they
need

21. PPC/Paid Search Implications
Other Implications:
• A rise in CPC for the head terms that auto-complete
• As Advertisers get more savvy, competition for ads for these
terms will increase the CPC
• Because of the instant search drop-down box, ads in lower
positions get pushed below the fold
• Will increase CPC and competition for top positions
• As Searchers get lazy, long tail keywords will see less
impressions
• But the long tail keywords that receive clicks will be a more
relevant audience

22. Topics Covered
1) SEO Overview
2) Google Instant – What Has Changed
3) Implications Moving Forward
4) Key Takeaways

23. Key Takeaways

24. “Google Instant makes no
change to ranking algorithm,
but significantly affects user
experience”
,

25. “Too early to tell exactly how
user behavior will change, but
first page rankings and auto-
complete suggestions now
more important”

26. “Impressions for headmatch
terms will increase, but quality
of search terms will improve
over time as users are given
more long-tail suggestions”

27. ?s